Water Stop
A PVC strip or swellable hydrophilic profile cast into a construction joint to block water travelling along it. Swellable types expand on contact with water to seal the joint.
On an actual building
Construction joints are the natural weak line in any concrete structure, and the raft-to-wall joint is where basements leak most often. A water stop is cheap during construction and impossible to add later.
What we most often have to correct
That the membrane makes them unnecessary. The membrane stops water reaching the concrete; the water stop stops it travelling through the joint if it does.
Where this comes up in our work
Terms that come up alongside this one
- Construction Joint
The interface where one concrete pour meets a previous one that has already set..
- Box Type Waterproofing
A continuous barrier wrapping an entire below-grade structure — beneath the raft, up every retaining wall and sealed above ground level — so the structure effectively sits inside a sealed box..
- Cold Joint
An unplanned joint formed when fresh concrete is placed against concrete that has already begun to set, so the two do not knit together..
Water Stop — questions we get asked
What does water stop mean in waterproofing?
A PVC strip or swellable hydrophilic profile cast into a construction joint to block water travelling along it. Swellable types expand on contact with water to seal the joint.
Why does water stop matter on a real project?
Construction joints are the natural weak line in any concrete structure, and the raft-to-wall joint is where basements leak most often. A water stop is cheap during construction and impossible to add later.
What do people commonly get wrong about water stop?
That the membrane makes them unnecessary. The membrane stops water reaching the concrete; the water stop stops it travelling through the joint if it does.
Have a building showing this?
If a term on this page describes something you are looking at, a site inspection will tell you how far it has gone and what it needs. It costs nothing.
Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00 · Sat 09:00–16:00 · Jogeshwari West